Tuesday 4

Over and Over Again

1.   One Movie You'd Watch Over & Over Again? The Way We Were

2.   One Book You'd Read Over & Over Again? This one is harder, because my to-be-read pile is so high with books I haven't read yet but want to. But I'll go with this one.

Reckless Youth takes John Kennedy from birth to his first run for office at age 29. It introduces us to a gifted, charming young man who demonstrates great courage at times and an incredible appetite for risk at others.

It also portrays him as damaged -- by phenomenal health challenges and a very complicated family dynamic. At the end of the book, he's already overcome a great deal, and only has about 15 years left to live.

I learned a lot about life from reading this book. For, while he appeared to have it all (wealth, looks, big family, hero's war record), he suffered a great deal. No matter how a life looks from the outside, you don't know how it feels from the inside.

3.   One TV Series You'd Watch Over & Over Again? Law & Order

4.   One Song You'd Listen To Over & Over Again? Here it is the very first time I heard it.

October Challenge -- Day 22

I'm joining Ms. Kwiz for her October blogging challenge.

Day 22: Modern or Traditional.

Yes.

I like reading old school. Words on paper. I read magazines and books and the newspaper.

On the other hand, I prefer Uber to taxis. Ride shares make it so easy.

I messed up

As condo board secretary, it's my responsibility to send updates to all the owners. Right after I hit "send," I realized that I cc'd instead of bcc-ing. Which means I inadvertently shared everyone's email address with everyone else.

I hate me right now.

Maybe no one will notice. Or maybe I'll have to apologize 24 times over.

October Challenge -- Day 21

I'm joining Ms. Kwiz for her October blogging challenge.

Day 21: My favorite shopping spots.

This one makes me a little sad, because my favorite shopping spots are gone. I loved shopping at Marshall Field's on State Street. It's a beautiful building, and it had higher-quality merchandise than the other department stores. Shopping there was an experience. The windows! The fitting rooms! The restaurants!

But then, in 2006, it became Macy's. It's fine, I suppose. But I don't get enthusiastic about Macy's like I did Marshall Field's.

And then there was Carson's. Twice a year -- spring and fall -- I shopped their Goodwill Sale. Every item I donated to Goodwill through their store got me a 20% coupon. I stocked up on skincare, sunglasses, clothes and an umbrella. (I'm always losing or breaking umbrellas.) It closed for good more than a year ago.

The empty Clinique counter at Carson's, days before the store closed for good.

But that was then and this is now. I find myself at Kohl's and the aforementioned Macy's. Target opened just blocks away from my home, and that's nice. There's an independent bookseller here, too, and that beckons to me.

But I'm shopping a lot more resale these days. A couple times a month, there's a fundraiser in a fabulous old Victorian and I always find something (a cardigan, a t-shirt) there. Last year I got a terrific find -- a like-new belted, hooded trench from Nordstrom that I got for $14. It's nice to shop there because it benefits local charities. And ThredUp is fun. It's the hunt, you know.

Sunday Stealing

 Firsts

1. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought? That the new lightbulb is working out well. The fixture takes three bulbs, but only the one on the far right burned out. I was afraid just changing the one wouldn't look the same. It's fine.
 
2. Where did you go on the very first vacation of your life? Duck Lake. My parents and grandparents took a clapboard cottage up there. I was 4 or 5. My grandfather took my sister and I out in a row boat and I caught my only fish. I felt terrible when I watched him take the hook out of its mouth. It was such a tiny fish, the hook did damage. I've never gone fishing again.

3. Open the door of your refrigerator. What is the first thing you see? Cans of Dr. Pepper. I usually buy Coke, but Dr. Pepper was on sale.

4. Tell us about your first kiss OR your last first date. His name was Jim. Two years older than I. He barely knew me. I was in line, waiting for my order at Jack-in-the-Box, and he and his friend (I forget his name) came barrelling in, singing The Four Tops "Ain't No Woman Like the One I Got." They each grabbed a girl in line, kissed her, laughed and ran. I'm sure he doesn't remember it, but it was a big moment for me. MY FIRST KISS!

5. If you had wings to fly about the universe, where is the first place you’d land? Hesperia, California. My oldest friend lives there, and I could use an afternoon of laughter with her.

6. What is the first thing you do when you get in your car? No car

7. What is the first thing you ever said to your firstborn? No kid

8. What is the last thing you heard about your first love? That his mom had died. I sent a white orchid plant to the funeral home. I haven't seen/spoken to him in decades, but his mother had remained a good friend to my late mother, and I felt my mother would have wanted me to make the gesture.

9. If you had created the world in seven days yourself, what would you have created on the First Day? Oh, no you don't. You're not going to get me to second guess the Lord.

10. What is the first song in your IPOD or song list? "If I Had a Million Dollars" by The Barenaked Ladies.

11. What is the first tangible thing you lost that you could never find again? My virginity. While it could never be recaptured, I know exactly how I lost it.

12. Who is your favorite First Lady of all time? JBK. She's my ultimate hero. Did you know she's the only First Lady to have won an Emmy Award? In 1962 she hosted a televised tour of The White House. She did the whole thing without notes, answering questions about the People's House and the origin of the items in each pubic room. She used to joke privately that no one thought there was "a brain under the pillbox hat." There certainly was!

13. Post a link to your first blog post. Why? I imagine if you want to read it, you can figure out how to find it.

14. When was the last time you needed First Aid? Two weeks ago I wore a Band Aid after my flu shot.

15. Can you explain what a first down is in football? The first time the offense gains 10 yards. But I don't really like football, so instead I'll concentrate on the ground rule double at my beloved Wrigley Field. Ivy covers the outfield walls. If the ball gets trapped in the green leaves, the outfielder must raise his arms immediately, before he tries to retrieve the ball, and the hitter is awarded second base.

BTW, congrats to the Astros, the best in the game, 2019

October Challenge -- Day 20

I'm joining Ms. Kwiz for her October blogging challenge.

Day 20: Good habits I'd like to have.

I'd like to be more disciplined. When I'm engaged, I can be successful. But I'm so lazy and I waste so much time.

 

Smoothies in the sun

Kathy came in today for a visit. We took advantage of this dry, sunny day and had smoothies outside. The coffee shop serves them in mason jars, which was a nice touch. It was a good way to spend the afternoon, sitting at that wrought iron table one more time before the cold weather sets in.

Earlier I went to the community resale event and picked up a deep purple cardigan for $2. I swung by the diner and had a cheeseburger as I knocked off a chapter or two of the mystery I'm reading.

It was a good day.

October Challenge -- Day 19

I'm joining Ms. Kwiz for her October blogging challenge.

Day 19: Favorite color combinations.

I love these colors together, but I can't wear them. They make me look sallow. But my living room is the light green and my kitchen is the bright yellow. If I ever move, I'll decorate with this palette.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you my closet! I have a few pink blouses and a raspberry coat, but this is really pretty much me.

 

Saturday 9

I'd Really Love to See You Tonight (1976)


1) This song is about a guy who, out of the blue, phones an ex. Have you ever spontaneously phoned or emailed a former lover? Has an ex ever reached out to you? Yes, and yes.

2) He suggests walking through the park, taking a drive along the beach, or watching TV. Do any of those suggestions appeal to you right now? I'm always happy to stay at home and watch TV. 

3) "England Dan" got his nickname because he was a passionate Beatles fan and would affect a British accent when he talked about his favorite group. Are you good at imitating accents? No.

4) Dan met John Colley when they were high school classmates in Dallas. When they were still kids, they agreed that "John Ford Coley" would be a better stage name. Think back to your high school days. Which of your friends daydreamed along with you?  My oldest friend. I've known her since Kindergarten. That's a lot of history, and many, many daydreams.




5) After the duo disbanded, "England Dan" went to Nashville, billed himself by his real name -- Dan Seals -- and recorded country music. Who is your favorite country performer? 


 

6) Today John Ford Coley lives in TN. He performs occasionally and raises horses. Have you ever been to TN? Yes. I've been to Graceland, Graceland, Memphis, TN, I've been to Graceland.

The King's Castle

7) In 1975, when this song was popular, Foster Grant Sunglasses had a suggested retail price of $5/pair. Do you buy sunglasses more for fashion or utility? Fashion. I love sunglasses.

8) The most popular movie of 1975 was Jaws. Have you seen it? Yes. But for some reason I can't recall, I didn't see it in the theater in 1975. I rented the video from Blockbuster years later.
 
9) Random question: Excluding anyone related to you by blood or marriage, what man are you closest to? My friend, John.

 

Short but not sweet

I saw Caleb today. He was alone, Randi and Napoleon were on a different corner. Our conversation didn't go well. I'm not sure why.

He didn't seem to recognize me at first, which confuses me. I was wearing my signature Cubs jacket and I haven't changed my hair. He also didn't seem to want to talk. The news he shared wasn't good -- he hasn't worked more than a few days since August. Consequently, they lost their apartment and are back to sleeping in shelters. They hope to have enough money set aside "before November 1" for a new tent. That's all he seemed to want to share, so I didn't press.

As I dropped a $5 into his cup, I asked how Napoleon was, and he said, "huge." But he didn't smile. I squeezed his shoulder, asked him to tell his family I said "hi," and then I was on my way.

They are in my prayers.

In praise of the new boy

Hamid has been with our agency less than a year. Maybe that's why he's still so enthusiastic and positive. Friday he did something very kind. I think the empathy is all his own.

While we work on all the same projects, we are in different departtments. Therefore we have different supervisors. We all received bad news two weeks ago, but Hamid's boss has been more sensitive and communicative about the situation and our future. He made a point of coming over to my desk on Friday afternoon to share this with me. He didn't want me to "go into the weekend worried."

I don't know that he alleviated the worry, but I was impressed by the kindness of the gesture.

October Challenge -- Day 18

I'm joining Ms. Kwiz for her October blogging challenge.

Day 18: Words I love or hate. 

Love:

Deuteronomy. I love saying it. Go ahead. It's fun!
Gubernatorial. So much fancier than saying, "all governor-y."

Hate:
Trump. President Pussy Grabber is a depressing disgrace and I literally cringe when I hear Christians defend him. How exactly do his lying, bullying, self-absorption and graft reflect my faith? I live for the day when we go 24 hours without hearing about his twitter feed.

 

October Challenge -- Day 17

I'm joining Ms. Kwiz for her October blogging challenge.

Day 17: Pet peeves. I have two big ones.

1) Space hogs. We all share this planet. Please respect that and don't take up more space than you must. For example, this girl is taking up a seat for her bags, while the man in the yellow shirt has to stand. She sucks. I have ridden the el many times with parcels under the seat, protected by my legs, so someone can squeeze into the seat next to me.

BTW, it's not only rude, it's theft. If you didn't pay for two seats, you don't get two seats.

2) Noise polluters. Now that we have open seating -- which means no offices -- it makes me CUH-RAZY when anyone listens to music or videos without headphones. People do it on the train all the time now, too. What makes you think we're all interested in what you're listening to?

Oh yeah, and there's the woman hear who sneezes really loud and in a very loud pitch. She thinks it's adorable. Sometimes I fantasize about strangling her.

My, but this has left me feeling anxious. Can we go back to Day 5, when we gazed upon hot men?

 

October Challenge -- Day 16

I'm joining Ms. Kwiz for her October blogging challenge.

Day 16: My bad habits. I am lazy, and I can't stay focused on a task or subject that doesn't grab me. This is a very immature way to go through life.

 

WWW.WEDNESDAY

WWW. WEDNESDAY asks three questions to prompt you to speak bookishly. To participate, and to see how other book lovers responded, click here. 

1. What are you currently reading? The Twist and Shout Murder by Rosemary Martin. This is my first foray into the "Murder A-Go-Go" mystery series. The cover blurb says it's "That Girl meets Mrs. Marple." The book is set in 1964, so it revels in go-go boots and miniskirts and hoop earrings. A New York model named Suzie is found strangled with a Pucci scarf. Since Suzie was a bitch, there's no shortage of suspects.
 

I just started this book and so far, it's lighter-than-air and entertaining. Which is exactly what I need after the tome I recently finished ...

 
2. What did you recently finish reading?Little Gloria ... Happy at Last by Barbara Goldsmith. I wear Gloria Vanderbilt jeans. I watch Anderson Cooper. So I'm not unfamiliar with Gloria. But I admit I know little about the 1930s custody case that once captured the nation's imagination.

It's fascinating, filled with intrigue and legal shenanigans and sex and rumors about sex. And at the heart of it all is a diffident little girl. She was a pawn in the battle between her wealthy aunt -- who wanted to keep the Vanderbilt money in the family almost as much as she wanted to keep the Vanderbilt name out of the gossip columns -- and her mother. Little Gloria's mother never really seemed to understand that, legally, her late husband's money was her daughter's and not hers. (For example, she actually had to be told that she couldn't bill her daughter's trust for cartons of cigarettes.) She had no idea how to mother a confused, fatherless little girl. Did anyone want to actually love and care for Little Gloria? I came away feeling nothing but sorry for the richest little girl in the world.
 

At more than 600 pages, it's overlong. Too many names, too many titles, too many family trees. But still, it's an intoxicating brew of money, celebrity and class.

3.  What will you read next? Michelle Obama's autobiography. Unless I change my mind.

October Challege -- Day 15

I'm joining Ms. Kwiz for her October blogging challenge.

Day 15: What causes a feeling of insecurity?

I'll approach this not with what, but with who, because I can think of two women who make me feel endlessly insecure about my femininity.

1) My all-time idol, JBKO. She was strong, but she made strength feminine. And then there was her visual sense.As First Lady, she restored the White House and designed the iconic exterior of Air Force One. Personally, she personified glamor -- and I have no glamor.

Not me

And here's a poem she wrote at 9 1/2. Pay attention not only to the rhyme, but to the carefully drawn border and her lettering. This was Jackie Bouvier as a fourth grader. I couldn't do this now.

The other is my friend, Joanna. She can be rather Jackiesque, in that she always knows how to tie a scarf, add a bangle, and look put together, even for an afternoon lunch at a diner. She also knows architecture and classical music (I do not).

Oh, I know I'm better informed and more astute about current events than Joanna. So it's not like I don't feel the playing field is, at least in some ways, level. But Joanna is more powerfully and conventionally feminine than I am, and that makes me insecure.

 

Tuesday 4

c

October Challenge -- Day 14

I'm joining Ms. Kwiz for her October blogging challenge.

Day 14: What makes a person lucky? As Bruce Springsteen sings in "Lucky Town" ...

And though I believe Bruce, I still have a Lotto ticket in my wallet because it pays to cover one's bases.

 

October Challenge -- Day 13

I'm joining Ms. Kwiz for her October blogging challenge.

Day 13: Good at keeping secrets? My own or others'. Quick answer: no. I don't like secrets, as I believe they are corrosive. On the other hand, I do respect privacy (my own and others'). So it's good that many of my friends haven't met. I can complain about Henry to John, and rail about John to Henry, get it out in the open and off my chest, without worrying about betraying them.

 

Sunday Stealing

More than Tuesday Four

This week we're stealing from a meme that's still active! I'll have to remember to visit it and play. We meme mistresses should stick together.


1.   Have you ever known anyone that’s been on tv, including you? My mom was proud to see me on the local ABC news the night Bill Clinton was elected in 1992. I was a campaign worker, cheering when he was declared winner.

2.   What do you find yourself buying all the time? St. Ives scrubs. I use them on my face, decolletage and feet every day.

3.   When was the last time you got a real letter in the mail? Last week. From my cousin Rose. We write, old school, about once/month.

4.   Have you ever lived in a house/apartment that has been broken into? Nope.

5. Did you walk to school with your friends? Take a school bus? Ever have someone carry your books home from school? Walked to grade school, car pooled to high school. No one ever carried my books for me.

6. Do you like pumpkin seeds? Do you carve the pumpkin and roast the seeds? Do you buy packaged, prepared pumpkin seeds? Pumpkin seeds are fine, I suppose. I have no deeply held feeling about them one way or the other. I've never prepared them in any way, and haven't carved a pumpkin in decades.

7. Does your car or did a family car have a name? Nope

8.  The first week of October was National Mystery Series Week. Do you sleuth alongside Nancy Drew or Miss Marple? Fan of Nero Wolfe? I used to read Nancy Drew enthusiastically. In 2015, I visited the Soboroff Typewriter Collection and completely fangirled when I saw this, one of the typewriters used by "Carolyn Keene" to write Nancy Drew stories.

 




And I love Nero Wolfe, too. Or, more specifically, Archie Goodwin. I think he's sexy and very funny.

9. Have you ever spent ages writing something on your computer when it suddenly crashed and you lost it all? Haven't we all?

10. Are you one of those people who can sleep through anything? No

11. What type or kind of art do you like? And do you draw or paint yourself? My favorite artist is Thomas McKnight. He describes his work as "landscapes in acrylic, featuring flat vibrant colors." I don't paint myself, and have no idea what I just said. To borrow a phrase, I just know what I like.

Thomas McKnight's Lake Shore Drive

 

12. If you went to London, where would you go first? Abbey Road Studios!

13.  What is one quote that you love to quote? "What man has done, man can do."

14.  Do you ever at times see the world in black and white? Yes.

15. Do you believe there is life somewhere else in the universe? Intellectually, yes. I mean, why not? Emotionally, no. I mean, I'm not worrying about an alien invasion.

It's been a year

A year ago, Henry downed a few glasses of wine at Phyllis' home, got on his bike, and pedaled square into a Chevy Van. He suffered a shattered ankle, but the more immediate and life threatening issue was his traumatic brain injury. First we worried if he would live at all. Then, would his memory be OK? What about his motor skills?

It was weeks of not knowing. Then he seemed OK, but wasn't. TBI can be tricky. Henry was filled with rage about his condition. He was confused and terrified. He was full of fight and resistance.

He's had trouble distinguishing between reality and flight of fancy. He's suffered through morbid, paranoid fantasies that he has accepted as true.

He's come such a long way. He goes to church each week. He writes for the poetry guild. He misses as few days of work as possible. He still has trouble reasoning on occasion, still gets depressed, but good phone calls outweigh the bad. He's worked very hard, and his courage really is inspiring.

I have not always been as patient with him as I should be. I have fallen short on empathy, because I have no way of knowing what it was like to wake up from a coma and find myself different. I have been frustrated because I've found myself in a situation I am not equipped to handle.

But we're still us, me and Henry. We've worked through this. I am grateful. And we end every call with "I love you." Because his accident has emphasized that tomorrow is not promised.